all's fare

Buon Appetit

A visit just across the Canadian border transports
guests to Southern Italy.

BY ANNABEL COHEN I PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN

Per Sacco
1199 Ottawa St,
Windsor; Ontario, Canada
(519) 255-1199: perbacco.ca

Salads/appetizers S7-S16
Entrees S16-S59

B 1 0 • APRIL 2008

•

JN platinum

After a recent visit to Per Bacco in Windsor,
I was reminded that the restaurants in the
Canadian city are almost always worth the trip.
Per Bacco definitely was. When brothers
Ennio and Guiseppe Sperduti took over the
space on Ottawa Street six years ago, it was a
furniture store. Today, a quick peek through the
large arched windows, and it's easy to feel you're
looking at an alfresco Tuscan ristorante. The
palette is earthy and warm, with hand-painted
murals enveloping the space in tones of gold,
rust and brown and tables dressed in crisp white
linens.
The menu does not look to reinvent Italian
cuisine; rather, it focuses on fresh, well-prepared
and thoughtfully presented offerings of classic,
continental Italian dishes, many with a decided-
ly French touch. Don't expect heavy, thick sauces
or oversized portions, but do savor filling plates
of pastas originally homemade by the brothers'
parents, who came to Canada from Southern
Italy in the 1960s.
My companions and I began with an appe-
tizer of Melanzane Farcite, rolled eggplant slices
stuffed with cheeses and baked with tomato
basil sauce, and Mozzarella Alla Caprese,
with ripe tomatoes and thick slices of fresh
Mozzarella cheese — both were delicious. At
Per Bacco, everything is doable, and the amiable
staff lets you know it. You want an appetizer for
dinner? They'll prepare it in a larger portion,
as was done for one guest who asked for the
Melanzane Farcite as an entree.
The New York Strip, sizzling hot and per-
fectly medium rare, included surprise jumbo
sauteed shrimp as an adornment and the req-
uisite "Zip" sauce. Chicken breast loaded with
seafood filling was served elegantly with wine
sauce, the flavors subtle and delicate. Costolette
Di Vitello alla Griglia, charbroiled veal chop,
hinted of lemon and rosemary. Here, even what
one would consider "heavy" food felt surpris-
ingly light.
Bacchus was the Roman god of wine. And
Per Bacco wants guests to conjure images of
Caravaggio's famous painting of Bacchus, with
his leaf and grape crown, holding an enormous
glass of wine. As the name suggests, the wine
list at Per Bacco is extensive and includes ice
wine, a Canadian favorite.
Having developed a taste again for Windsor's
offerings, I know I'll be back, passport in hand,
to savor more of Canada.